Violent Eviction Near Shilo: 11 Injured, Burnt Police Car

Large joint police-army force threw rocks, gas grenades during a “particularly violent” eviction of a Jewish outpost neighborhood this morning.

Contact Editor

Hillel Fendel, 02/06/11 10:04 | updated: 10:02

Early morning destruction

Binyamin Residents Committee

A large combined police-army force carried out what witnesses said was a “particularly violent” eviction at a Jewish outpost neighborhood this morning.

The site is Alei Ayin, near Shilo in the northern Binyamin bloc, some 30 kilometers north of Jerusalem. The forces threw a gas grenade into a home, hurled rocks at residents, and razed a home and two agricultural structures. In addition, they destroyed several cars placed in the way of the forces.

Despite the early hour, residents of nearby neighborhoods arrived to try to prevent the eviction. A number of clashes broke out, and six Border Guard officers and five residents were reported lightly hurt - including three young residents who have been hospitalized with head wounds.

The residents said - as they generally say on occasions of this sort, and as they also usually make good on – that they will commence with rebuilding immediately.

Barak Responsible
Col. (ret.) Itzik Shadmi, chairman of the Binyamin Residents Committee, lashed out at Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is responsible for the eviction decision. “Barak is jealous of the ovations Netanyahu received in Washington,” Shadmi said, “and so he apparently decided to remind everyone that he, too, can harm the Yesha settlements.”

The Shai (Samaria and Judea) Police District reported that “some youths” threw a firebomb at the car of the Binyamin Region station commander, sending it up in flames. The police announced that it views this incident “with great gravity” and as the “crossing of a red line” that will be “dealt with in accordance with the full extent of the law.”

“Barak would be better advised to use violence and ammunition to destroy our enemies’ homes,” Shadmi also said, “and let the Yesha residents live their lives. For many months, the residents of Alei Ayin have been suffering from Arab vandalism; it’s too bad that Barak has decided to join them, instead of strengthening the Alei Ayin citizens.”